GMA News strengthens disaster preparedness via GMA Weather

During the onslaught of Tropical Storm Maring, viewers relied on GMA News and Public Affairs’ GMA Weather for comprehensive and accurate weather reporting. And at the forefront of GMA Weather is the country’s leading authority in the field of meteorology, Nathaniel “Mang Tani” Cruz.

Mang Tani lends his thirty years of expertise to GMA News to report on various weather conditions as the network's resident meteorologist. A former meteorologist for Australia's Bureau of Meteorology, Mang Tani was also the Officer in Charge in the Office of the Deputy Administrator for the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). To date, GMA remains the only broadcast news organization in the country with a resident meteorologist.

“Ang panganib na dulot ng pabago-bagong panahon ay maaaring makasira ng mga plano, buhay, at kabuhayan ng kahit sino. Panata ng GMA Weather ang pagbabahagi ng abot-kamay na ulat panahon sa GMA newscasts. Panata ko naman bilang meteorologist ang paghahatid ng weather reports na maaasahan, sa ngalan ng Serbisyong Totoo,” said Mang Tani, whose body of work in weather reporting includes some of the most devastating typhoons in the country's history.  

Mang Tani recently topped the online survey of a local website which polled netizens on their choice for the country’s Most Reliable Weatherperson with an overwhelming 53% or 13,717 votes. GMA Weather’s Consultant for Science and Weather Karen Cardenas ranked second with 39.86% or a total of 10,139 votes.

Mang Tani and Cardenas have also been invited by different schools, universities, organizations, and even the Department of Budget and Management to talk about climate change and disaster preparedness.  GMA Weather is under the I M READY banner, GMA News' award-winning campaign for public safety.

Working in synergy with PAGASA and Project NOAH (the Department of Science and Technology’s unit for disaster prevention and disaster risk management), GMA Weather is able to do both weather forecasting and nowcasting. The team has met with DOST Secretary Mario Montejo and key officials of PAGASA and Project Noah to discuss ways on how to effectively prepare people for floods, strong winds and the calamitous effects of typhoons, monsoon rains and other weather disturbances.

GMA Weather's up-to-the-minute updates may be seen on GMA-7's 24 Oras, Unang Hirit, and Saksi, as well as on GMA News TV's State of the Nation with Jessica Soho, QRT, Balita Pilipinas, Balitanghali and News To Go. Weather forecasts may also be heard via GMA Network’s flagship radio station, Super Radyo DZBB 594.

GMA Weather is powered by Weather Central, a US-based weather solutions provider widely-regarded as the most viewed broadcast weather system in the world. Weather Central allows GMA Weather to deliver interactive weather reports, highlighting key weather events and the extent of a weather disturbance's potential impact down to a specific location.